Maldives participates in China-ASEAN Expo Tourism Exhibition 2018

During the three-day exhibition in the southern Chinese city of Guilin from October 26-28, Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) is showcasing the destination at a 36sqm space. MMPRC is promoting the various segments of the destination targeted towards attracting the Chinese market.

MMPRC representatives are also participating in a B2B session with the major operators, and media from the region. Visitors are given most up-to-date information about the destination, while having the opportunity to taste Maldivian flavours right from the stand.

Aside from these, visitors are also invited to take part in a social media campaign, where they stand a chance to win a surprise gift for posting a selfie on Weibo with the hashtags #visitmaldives and #CAEXPOTE2018. Visitors can also experience the underwater beauty through VR gear at the stand.

CAEXPOTE, which began in 2015, is amongst the growing travel trade exhibitions in the Guangxi region. This annual exhibition aims to promote cooperation and exchange between China and ASEAN countries in the tourism field, while also enhancing mutually beneficial understanding and friendship within the region.

The exhibition is set to expand in the coming years, as a recognised and well-known exhibition and a cooperative platform for regional tourism.

In the past, the event has witnessed over 900 stands, representing more than 60 countries and regions, while attracting over 200,000 visitors.

China continues to be the top source market to the Maldives since arrival numbers spiked in 2012.

In 2017, 306,530 Chinese tourists visited Maldives contributing to 22.1 percent of the total arrivals for the year. According to the latest arrival figures, 222,108 Chinese tourists arrived in the Maldives by the end of September 2018.